The W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University is teaming up again with WSU Tech on a new career pathway program for WSU Tech students interested in an industry greatly affecting the entire world right now: supply chain management.
“Supply chain and logistics are critical to our economic success,” said Sheree Utash, president of WSU Tech. “This is a fast-growing occupation and something that is needed in every industry. We hope to harness our students’ curiosity and ingenuity throughout their entire four-year journey.”
Students who graduate from the pathway program will have the technical skills and conceptual background, creative mindset and applied experiences to address the workforce needs for statewide economic development.
“Our city and state are in need of supply chain experts,” said Dr. Shirley Lefever, executive vice president and provost of Wichita State University. “By filling that need, we’re helping make our communities operate more smoothly. And who doesn’t love that?”
This partnership is a coordinated “2+2” program, where students will receive an Associate of Applied Science degree in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from WSU Tech over their first two years and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree at WSU’s Barton School over their following two years.
“There are many common threads between our two institutions,” said Mehmet Barut, professor and director of the Supply Chain Management Program at the Barton School. “The supply chain program is tying those threads together and creating a career rope ladder for our students.”
This pathway will begin in fall 2022 and will be available to current and prospective WSU Tech students. Students will begin by learning fundamental principles of logistics and transportation during their time in the program including procurement, movement, and storage and processing of materials and information across the entire supply chain.
This is not the first time the Barton School and WSU Tech have teamed up. In 2021, a similar “2+2” model was implemented for students interested in pursuing business administration. The Barton School and WSU Tech also partnered to award $35,000 in scholarships for participating students.
“When we announced our first partnership with WSU Tech almost exactly a year ago, I knew that it would be the first of many innovative educational endeavors,” said Dr. Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School of Business. “We have found great success in last year’s collaboration, and we hope this supply chain program builds on that momentum.”
About Wichita State University
Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more
than 16,000 students on its main campus and 9,000 students on its WSU Tech campuses
from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech
are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.
Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.
The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.
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About WSU Tech
WSU Tech is the state’s leader in modern technical education offering over 100 degree
and certificate options in aviation, health care, manufacturing, design, information
technology, police science and business. In 2018, WSU Tech was named the 2nd fastest
growing college among two-year colleges by The Chronicle of Higher Education. WSU
Tech serves as managing partner of the National Center for Aviation Training (NCAT)
in Wichita, KS and is fully accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a
Kansas Board of Regents institution. For more information, visit www.WSUTECH.edu.
About the W. Frank Barton School of Business
The W. Frank Barton School of Business is the home of real and applied learning. A
place where students apply knowledge gained from faculty and business leaders while
developing professional and life skills. The Barton School holds double AACSB accreditation
in business and accounting, which puts it in less than 1% of business schools worldwide
possessing it. The school is housed in a newly constructed, state-of-the-art building,
Woolsey Hall, which serves as cornerstone for challenging yet supportive educational
opportunities.